Locking mechanism



Feb. 2, 1960 T. T. BUNCH LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Match '7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

7.' 7'. BUNCH Feb. 2, 1960 Filed March 7, 1956 LOCKING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheel 2 4 a7 35 65 /o/rafr r K 45 5 w/ 57d d," a5 5 o a7 4 27 F/G. 3

f /0 a7 35 55 zo ,74 ,2

/l E u ,45 75 4s 50 5o 55 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. 7. T. '5U/VCH ATTORNEY 2,923,489 LOCKING MEcHANisM Tillman T. Bunch, near Ashland, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application March 7, 1956, Serial No. 570,051 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-68.3)

' This invention relates to locking mechanisms and more 2,923,489 -atented Feb. 2, 1960 An elongated actuator is mounted for longitudinal movement concentrically within the cage member and is provided with a camming surface having a raised annular seat portion at one end thereof and an annular depressed portion at the other end thereof. A plurality of ball detents are' positioned between the'cage member and the particularly to apparatus for supporting an article having an aperture with a shoulder and for positively locking the article upon the supporting apparatus, such as mechanisms for locking a reel on an arbor for rotation therewith.

In strand handling apparatus of the type in which it is necessary to rapidly remove and replace takeup reels on rotatable arbors, it is desirable to provide automatically operable, quick-acting locking mechanisms. Such locking mechanisms should be designed to hold a takeup reel on an arbor for rotation therewith and to release or engage and lift a takeup reel quickly when it is necessary to interchange reels on the arbor. Heretofore, locking mechanisms utilized for this purpose have not been entirely satisfactory, since difficulty is encountered frequently in locking interchangeable takeup reels of slightly different axial or diametrical dimensions upon an arbor.

It is an object of this invention to provide new and improved locking mechanisms.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for supporting an article having an aperture with a shoulder and for positively locking the article upon the supporting apparatus. s l

It is another object of this invention to provide new and improved mechanisms for locking a reel on an arbor for rotation therewith.

A locking mechanism illustrating certain features of the invention may include an arbor, a portion of which is hollow and is formed with an elongated longitudinal slot through the periphery thereof. A ball detent is received within the arbor and has a diameter permitting only partial protrusion outward through the slot. The ball detent is initially retracted into the arbor adjacent to a forward Vend of the slot, in which position of` the ball detent an article, having an aperture with a shoulder, and the arbor may be mutually engaged so that the article is positioned loosely about the arbor with the shoulder of the aperture in the article located rearwardly of they ball detent. The apparatus further includes means for extending the ball detent so that a portion thereof protrudes through the slot, means for positively lockingthe ball detent in the extended position .against the action of forces external to the apparatus, and means for moving the extended ball detent longitudinally toward the actuator and are retained movably Within corresponding slots in the cage member. A plurality of spring-pressed fingers urge the ballv detent resiliently against Vthe camming surface and resilient biasing means urge the actua- U tor in a direction such that the ball detents rest Von the raised annular seat portion of the camming surface and are supported positively thereby in extended positions wherein a substantial portion of each ball detent protrudes radially outwardly through its respective slot and beyond the periphery of the cage member. Means are provided for moving the actuator longitudinally against the action of the'resilient biasing means whereby the ball detents remain supported positively in their extended positions and move longitudinally along theV slots with the actuator until they strike simultaneously the end walls of their respectiveslots. The ball detents are then held stationary while the actuator continues to move and under the urge between the end walls of the slots 2 and the lingers'they are retracted radially inwardly into the annular depressed portion' of the actuator.

A complete understanding of the .invention may be had from'the following detailed description of apparatus forming a specific embodiment thereof, when read in con junction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1' is a plan view of a rotatable reel-supporting Y arbor lprovided with a locking mechanism forming a The pillow block bearings 12 and 13 are mounted lixedly to a base member 15.v The arbor rearward end of the slot until it engages the shoulder of the aperture in the article to support the articlesupon if `Wall thereof and spaced crcumferentially therearound;

specific embodiment of the invention, with parts thereof broken away and a takeup reel mounted on the arbor shown in section; t

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section taken along line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig."3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section .taken along line 3 3 of Fig. l illustrating the locking mechanism in its detent-lock position, and

Fig. 4- is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectionV of the locking mechanism as in Fig. 3, but illustrating the locking mechanism in its detent-release position.

'Referring now to Fig. l, there is shown an arbor 10 mounted 'rotatably in pillow block bearings V12 and 13.

10 is designed to be driven rotatably at a relatively high rate of speed by suitable drive means (not shown). An axial, cylindrical bore 17 (Fig. l) extends longitudinally through the arbor 10 from one end thereof to the other. The free end of the arbor 10, which is at the left-handV end ,thereofl as viewed in Fig. 1, is cylindricalin shape and is designed toreceive and to support a conventional takeup reel, indicated generally by the numeral 20, for rotation with the arbor. f Y The takeup reel 20 comprises an elongated, tubular, winding drum 21 secured xedly at its opposite ends to spaced circular ,reel hubs 22 and 23. YAttached iixedly to the reel yhubs 22 and 23 are annular reel ,heads 25 and 26, respectively; ,The reel hubs 22 and 23 are provided with identical conical sockets 27 and 28, the walls of which taper inwardly -to a minimum diameter sufficiently greater than the outerv diameter of the free end of the arborV 10 toproyide adequate clearance for ease of inserting the reel 20 on the arbor. 27 and 28 are concentric with respect to the winding drum 21 and the rotational axis of the takeup reel 20. When the takeup reel 20 is locked upon the arbor 10 forv rotation therewith, as`llustrated in Fig. 1, Ythe reel hub 23 is supported upon a conical center 30V forming an integral Vpart'V of a collar zwhich'is secured xedly The conical sockets Y surrounding arbor 1'0 concentrically. The conical center 30 is"substantially complementary to andis received partly within the conical socket 28 in thereel hub t 2.3.v With the .conical/center@ `wedged within theconicall socket` 28; arfn'ctional normal force several times greater 6 than thethrust force is developedandthev reel hubY 23 is` gripped tightly for positive rotation ofthe reel 20jwith the arbor The reel hub 22V is supported by six, equally spaced,` ball detents 35-35, preferably made'rof hardened steel. The

balldetents 35-35nolrmally protrude from six, corre:

sponding,y elongated slots 37-37 fformed inand spacedV circumferentially around the periphery `of the'arb'o'r 10;

A substantial predetermined and exact portionzof each' of the ballgdetents 35-i-35 extends beyond the periphery 4of, the arbor 10 and is received*within.the socket 27 formed in the ire'el hub 22, as shownin Fig. 3. .The protruding portions ofr'A the `ball vdetents 357-35 are thrust-axially i. against the walls of the socket27 and theresulting wedga ing action 'causes the reel hub 22`to begrippedtightly for positive rotation with t he arbor 10. Withthe lreel hubs! 22 and23 `thus gripped, thetubular winding drumflflv oli mounted in the counter bore l4() `surrounding one end of' the sleeve bushing 4S'and the annular collar insert 73 is positioned loosely around the shank 52 of the detent actuator'50. The retainer clip assembly 70 is urged re- Y siliently leftwardly by a helically coiled compression spring 74 which is mounted in the rcounterbore 40 surrounding the sleeve bushing` 48; t op The detent actuator `50 is` attachecltxedly vat its `righthand end to an elongated actuator rod 775' (Fig. 1) which t extends longitudinally` through l ther boref 17 to the 4right-` hand endof -the arbor r10where` it is connected operatively to `a cylindrical plunger 77. The plunger 77 isprovided with anannular. shoulder which tsfclosely, andfslidably within the bore 17k. Fixedly4 mounted within the bore 17 77 and its operatively.connectedactuator. rod .75 rights p v wardly, as yiwedeinFig. 1. Normally, the.resilient force thetakeup reel 2.0 is substantially concentric to therota tional axis `of arbor 10;

As shown in Fig.

3,' theslots 3772-37 'communicate with a relatively short, cylindrical,` counterbore@ formedin the left-hand extremity ofthe arbor 10 in concentric align: ment with the bore .17.j The longitudinal side wallsof each of the' slots '37-3 7,"as' shown in detail in Fig. 2,` are constrictedV so that the -innerfopening thereof 'provides suicient operatingclearance for itsfassociatedball detent 35, whereas the outer opening thereoiis smallerthanthe fromufalling completelyoutwardly through the slot. L To reduce, the wearing away of the longitudinal side walls? of the slots `37'-37, the walls 4are` provided with hard,

Ysintered, rmetallic carbide inserts l2-+42. The `left-,irand of the compression spring 83 holds the detent actuator 50' in itsdetentflock= positionrinwhich v,it is `shownin Figs.

1 and withitheportions of theball detents,155---354ex` tending-through the slots:37.-37.wedging tightly into the conicalsocket `27.01 the. reel hub. V22 toforce.- the iconical;

center. 0=,(Fig. 11) on-,the collarlintoa wedging it with?.

in theconicalf socket 28 of -the reell hub 23.

Mounted iixedly ,tothe base membery 15M isa generally,

Uj-vshapedgbracket `85 (Fig, `l) designed to `support a Y Y pneumaticfcylinder90jhavingailongitudinallyextending; diameterfofthe ball detentso that`the latter is prevented l end of each of the slots 37-437 Yis semicircular Ainfco'nj figuration, as shown inFig. 1. The semicircularmend thus formed is constricted, as shown in Fig.`.3,` in a manner similar to the mannerV of the longitudinaliside walls of each of the slots 37-437. .i

The arbor 1 0 is provided with another relatively shoru concentric counterbore 45 which extends a short ydistance tothe right iromthe larger counterbore 40. Af hardened sleeve. bushing 48 is positioned within the counterbore 45,v and held iixedly in place by meansof a forcetvand `the left-hand end of the sleeve bushing extendspartlyintoR the counterbore 40. The sleeve bushing 48. serves, pri-` marily as a bearing and guidefor an axallysmovabie detent actuator, indicated` generally byV the `numeral 50.

The detent actuator 50, which is showninQFig 3 inits1 detent-lock position, has a generally cylindricalshank;` 52 atthe right-hand end thereof. The shank 52 is yslidably` received within the sleeve bushing 48.17Adjoining theleft-V hand end of the cylindrical shankrSZ and formed integrally. therewith is a frustoconical neck 55 (Figs. 3 and 4) having. aruniform taper.V Adjoiningy the left-hand lend of the frustoconical neck 55 atA its maximum diametenand. formed integrally therewithis a head 57 which aresoutwardly to a maximumrdiarneter` slightly less than ythep inf. ternal diameterof the axial counterbore 40.4 Formed in` theperiphery of the head 57, immediately adjacent, tothe frustoconical neck 55, is an annularseat 60 having miuif` mum diameter somewhat less than the `diameterfat':the. point at which the head 57 joins the neck 51S. 4

` 'Normally the ball detents 35--35 are resting in andY against the annular seat 60 formed in the detent actuator 50; as-illustrated inl Fig. 3,'and are held in Athis position byt six, .angularly` projecting retainer clips Yor spring-pressed Y i The..

ble,

movable,pistonrod,.92.j Amairhosepconnects the` shown) suitably controlled by, valve means` (notsl1own),.;` When air under pressure is admitted to the` pneumatic cylinder., 90, f the, .piston` rod 92 l is moved .'leftwardly,v as

the detent actuator 50 slidably to 4the left intodetent-ref.

sparing-'biasedlwretainer clip assemblylj which o m rlsesp` i thataltakeup lreelf20jis` positioned on the arbor 10 andA that thedetent actuator 50; isin itsrdetentlockposition; as shown Yin.Figs1 and 3. With th'e detentactuatorS?` in 1t-s ..fdetent-lockf position, the balldetents 35f-35 are retalnedfin theannular-seat'llXFig. 3) with substantial: portions :thereofr extending through -the l. slots s 37-37` .irr` thearbor 1Q andare urgediaxially into wcdging engagea-.1 mentwith the v vailsfvofrtheconical socketzf27; ofjthe reel: hub The relatively t strong t compression` spring il 83"` wedges., .ther` balitdetents 35--35 Vtightly` against the walls oftheconicalsocket 27 with suicient force to urge the conical center.30of the collar 32likewise into tight wedg.l ingengagernent with the complementaryonical socket 280i? thereel vhub 23. In this `mannerthe reel hubs 22lA andf 23 are `forced .t to assume y a` position 1 concentric 1o.

the. .arhoraxismz andf are, llockedY positively upon lthe arbor-5 10.for `rotationtherewith. Y.

position, the ball detents 35-35 are retained'withn the annular seat 60 and move leftwardly with the detent actuator. However, when the detent actuator nears it detent-release position the ball detents 35-35 simultaneously strike the forward inwardly sloping walls of the slots 37-37.

At this point, the axial travel of the ball detents 35-35 is stopped by the forward end walls of the slots 37-37 while the detent actuator'c'ontinues moving leftwardly toward its detent-release position. The ball detents 35-35 which now bear against the inward sloping forward end walls of the slots 37-37 unseat from the annular seat 60 and retract as the inclined surface of the frustoconical neck S of the detent actuator 50 recedes. Under the urge between the cooperating inward slopes of the end walls of slots 37'-37 and the spring actuated revtainerclips 65-65, the ball detents 35-35 continue to move radially inwardly until no portions thereof protrude outside the periphery of the arbor 10. Thus, with the' detent actuator 50 held inits detent-release position, as shown inl-iig.4 4, the ball Vdetents 35-35 are retracted fully Vand the takeup reel 20 may be removed readily from the arbor 10.

l Another takeup reel 20 may then be positioned around the arbor supported by anexternal supporting means (not shown) with the conical socket 23 in the reel hub 28 near the conical center 30. To lock the new takeup reel k20 in place, the pneumatic cylinder 90 is disconnected from the compressed air supply,rwhereupon the piston rod 92 is retracted. As the piston rod 92 is retracted, the compression spring v83 forces the detentnactuator 50 to the right into its detent-lock position, as shown in Fig. 3. Y

i As thev detent actuator 50 begins to move to the right toward its detent-lock position, the ball detents 35-35, which are restrained initially againstaxial movement by -the forward end walls of the. slots 37-37 and the retainer clips or spring-pressed fingers 65--65, ride up the inclined surface of the frustoconical neck 55. The ball detentsuSS-SS become seated again in the annular seat 60 and are `held positively in their extended positions in which predetermined portions thereof project radially outwardly beyond the periphery ofV the arbor. Thereafter the ball detents 35-35 are moved longitudinally within the slots 37-37'toward the conical center 30. Under the action of the compression spring 83, the ball detents 35-35 are forced into wedging engagement with the Walls of the conicalnsocket A27Min the reel hub 22 and, n.turnthrust theA takeup reel l20 axially to the right until the conical center 3l! is wedged tightly into positive gripping engagement with the walls of the conical socket` 28 of the reel hub 23.V The takeup reel 20 is now engaged positivelynwith the arbor 10 and will rotate therewith.

It may be lseen tha-tmthe above-described locking Vmechanism will function equally well notwithstanding the fact that the axial length, the socket diameters or the initial loading position of one takeup reel may differ somewhat from those of another takeup reel by which the former is replaced. As described hereinabove, the ball detents 35--35 move to their fully extended positions immediately atfer the detent actuator 50 begins its rightward travel to its detent-lock position. Thus, the ball detents move longitudinally to the right along the slots 37--37 in their fully extended positions until they are wedged tightly into the conical socket 22 in the reel hub 27 and force the conical center 30 tightly into the other conical socket 23 in the reel hub 28. In this manner, the locking operation ball detents 35-35 are not affected by substantial differences, within design limits, in the axial lengths of different takeup reels employed. Similarly, allowable differences in the diametrical dimensions of the conical sockets in the reel heads do not affect the locking operation.

It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment thereof hereinaoV above described, but may be readily 'modiied-.andgilcorporated in various Vtypes of apparatus withoutdeparb' '1. Apparatus for supporting an'artcle having an aperture with a shoulder and for positively lockingthe article upon the supporting apparatus, which comprises an arbor, a portion of the arbor being hollow and formed withan elongated longitudinal slot through the periphery thereof,

a ball detent received withinfsaid arbor and havinga diameter permitting only partial protrusion outward vthrough the s lot, said ball detentbengV initially retracted into saidarborgadjacent to aforward end ofthe slot, in .v

which position of said ball detent the .article and said arbor may be mutually engaged so that the article is positioned loosely about said'arbor'with vthe shoulder of the aperture in the article located rearwardly of said ball detent,j means vfor extendingsaid ball detent sok that a 'portion thereof protrudes throughthe slot,.m'eans for positively locking said ball detent in the extended'position against the action of forces external to theapparatus, means for moving the extended ball detent longitudinally toward the rearward end of the slot. until` it engages the shoulder of the'aperture inthe article to support Y theY article upon said arbor, means for moving the extended ball detent longitudinallyback towardthe forward end of the slot-when it is desired to disengage the article `and said arbor, and means for retracting Vsaid ball detent back into said arbor topermitthe article andsaid arbor to be mutually disengaged. Y

upon'the supporting apparatus, which comprises. an arbor, a portion of the arbor being hollow and formed with an elongated longitudinal slot through the periphery thereof,

a ball detent received within said arbor and having a diameter permitting only partial protrusion outward through that` at an initial position of said actuator saidy balldete'nt is retracted into saidarbor adjacent to a forward end of the slot, in .whichposition of said ball detent the, article and said arborV may be mutually engaged so that the .article -is positioned loosely-about said arbor with vthe shoulder of the aperture inthe article located rearwardly ofsaid ball detent, mean's'for moving said actuator inga firsty direction, the surface of said actuator being further constructed and arranged kso' that upon this` movement said ball detent is first extended so that a portion thereof prtrudes through the slot and is supported in extended position by a'portion of the surface of said actuator and isy then moved longitudinally along'the slot until it engages the shoulder of the aperture in the article to support the article'upon said arbor, the portion of the surface of saidV actuatorV which supports said ball detent interacting with the forward end of the slot for positively locking said ballV detent in its extended position against the action of forces external to the apparatus, and means for moving said slot, whereupon the forward end of the slot operates in conjunction with further movement of said actuator in the second direction to retract said ball detent back into said arbor to permit the article and said arbor to be mutually disengaged. f

2. Apparatus for supporting an articleV having -van aperi ture with a shoulder and for positively locking the article *WetdendfeftlteSlet,:w.,. tStati.nutty` with Vrespeet te. furtherleugitlldieltmevement gazeuse "3; Apparatusforhsupportingfan artclehvingan'apera"shoulder-.andfor positivelyl lockingthe article upon the'supporting-apparatus, whichicomprises an arbor, a portionqofisaidarbor being `hollow and Vformed with an -lelongated longitudinal slot through `the Yperiphery thereof,

Vaball detent received-within said l arbor and havin'ga Y diameter permitting only partial protrusionoutward through the s1ot,a n actuator mountedewithin Asaid arbor 'for lon'gitudinalmovement with respect thereto, resilient meanswfr urging saidvball detent Vinto cont`act withsaid actuator, saidlactuator having aseat for said ball detent and acarnming surface adjacent Vto being' so shaped that at anfnitia Ithereof"saidballdetent is retracted into saidarbor ad-r jacent toa`forvvard.end ofthe sl'ot infwh ich position of .sai ball detent the articleand said arbor may bermutuallvy engaged so that thenaiticleislpositioned loosely about said arborwith thelshoulderof the aperture inthe article lo- ',eated rearwardly o`f`said' ball detent, means "for moving ,said tuatorglongitdinally in arst direction so that the :thereof `eitteuds saidball detent against en ing Surface the ation o fn said vurgingA means until'fsalid balldetent is eeid belldetentlremeinnaSuppertesliaitelextended Pesi: l Y wtion' ,byYtheseatuandmovinglongitudinally along the slot wthfeeideetueterf until Seidballdetent Strikes the ferheteupe Selsl bell detent is held eteeid' eetueter end. urea further longitudinal.. movement otsaisl-iaetuater in the reversedireetint-said ball .detet "foreed `out-ett. estratti/the ferriere, elid @tithe Slot,

feeibek-inte said erben by the.reslientmeetete,permit the. article. and said arberftebe mutually ,disengaged 4. Apparetuevfereuppertiug.ellertele.having attrapertaref'with .e She/elderly etudier .positively leelillg the ertiele uneuthe Supperting' apparatus, which` eempriseeen arbor, etlpettviell ef. seiderber, bengrhellew. and ,formed W'itl a plurality of elongated longitudinal slots: through" the Perpheryzthereefrand spaced thereeteund; a pluralitvef ,baILdetents received withinpsaidwarbor, one associated l longitudinal position the seat, said actuator,

tialV protrusooutward. t through,y its l `associated slot, an actuator-mounted t centrally withintsaid l arbor `,for longitudinal movement with respect" thereto,: apluralityof Aspririg-learessed fingers mounted withinsaid arb'or .andfdesigned forurg'ing .said ball detentsA into icontactgyvith said 1 ',actuator, said actuator Y a e having a raised annulart-s'eatat a forward `end thereof for `receiving said :ball ,detents `and an inwardly-tapering ca'mming` surface rearwardlyof` the seat, said actuator being initially positionedso that said forward end ofthe s lot in'contactwith `thec'ainmirg surface, in which position ofs'aid ball detents the' articlerand Y said arbor mayibeimutuallyw engagedso thatthe article is witheaelt .Slet allebei/.inse diameter permitting enly -Pefvpositioned loosely` about said arbor with thshoulder of the aperture inf thearticle located rearwardly of `said `ball detents, `resilient means for moving said actuator rearwardso that the cammingrsurface thereoflextends said ball detents against the action of said spring-pressed lingersuntil said` ball de tentsareforced into-thejseat lof` said actuator withportiorns of-saidtball d'et'entsprotrud` t 'ing through the slots, saidball detents beingpositiyel'y t locked in the extended position against `the actionof forces external to the apparatus by -the'tinteraetion between the seat andthe forward ends ofthe s lots, 'further rearward movement of-sf'd actuator by said resilient means operating to move the extended ball detents longitudinally toward `the rearward ends of the slots until they engage the shoulder offthe` aperture inthe article nto support the article Vupon saidr arbor',` andfrneans for moving said actuator forward against the actiorioftsaidresilient "means when 1t yis desired to disengage the `article and said arbor, saidrball detents remaining supportedin their'extendedpositions by the seatand moving longitudinally along `the slots with said actuator luntil saidwbaill detents strike thelforwardeendsof `the' slots, whereupon `said ball detents are held stationary with respect to further longitudinal movement of said`actuatcjnr.and,` `upon further longitudinal,movementof said a'cttalattjr in the forward direction,saidgball detentsareffored outfof the seatfhy the forward ends of the lslots,` said `ball detents being retracted along the camming `surface baclginto arbor ,by said spring-pressedngers to `permit the article""and"saidl arbor to be mutuallydisengaged'.Y

References Cited inthe `le ofuthisv patentV UNITED isrAriasPATENrS` ball detents are'retracted into said arbor-adjacent to a` 

